Day One at State: Thursday, October 23
The first day at state started out clear and cool without much wind, but quickly became overcast and windy. Leah and Leslie Sibener started off their first match with a straight set win over Dixon’s Hampshire and Grubman 6-3 , 6-3. In their second match, Crystal Lake proved to be too strong for the Sibeners and they went down in straight sets 4-6, 2-6. In their their match of the day Leslie and Leah lost to Rock Island (Alleman), 0-6, 2-6.

Rachel Sylora and Sofia Iatarola lost a very close match in their first round against Danville–5-7, 2-6, 5-7. In their second match against Belleville East, Rachel and Sofia also played evenly with their opponents, but ultimately lost in very close sets and went down, 5-7, 5-7. It was a tough day for Rachel and Sofia because they had chances to win both their matches, both were very close, but they just couldn’t quite come away with a victory.

Gabbie Clark won her first singles match easily against Roxana’s 6-1, 6-0. Gabbie’s second match was against New Trier’s Dee-Dee Meyers, an experienced player and a senior at New Trier. In the first set Gabbie got off to a very fast start and had her game in full flight after the second game. Her forehand was sizzling and she was cracking winners and holding serve with ease. She soon overwhelmed Meyer’s steady baseline game and took the first set 6-0.

Meyers opened the second set with a hold of serve, Gabbie held serve, and then Meyers held again. At 2-2 Gabbie earned a break of serve off her opponent’s backhand error and went on to hold serve easily for a 4-2 lead . The pressure got to New Trier’s player in this game, and after dropping one game point she lost the sudden death point on a double fault to give Gabbie a commanding 5-2 lead. Gabbie served out the game for a 6-0, 6-2 win.

Gabbie’s third match of the day was against Crystal Lake’s (Central) Nelle Youel. This match was a bit more up and down for Gabbie. The Lincoln Way freshman was a good scrambler with a nice one-handed backhand who stayed with Gabbie during the rallies and was able to stay with her. But in the first set Gabbie got up a break and began serving at 3-2 in what turned out to be a pivotal game. She had several game points but could not put them away and several times the game went back to deuce. After a very long point in which Gabbie dug out two impossible saves to keep the point alive, she held serve for 4-2.

Youel served at 2-4 and another long game with several deuces followed. Gabbie broke again for a 5-2 lead and now had her chance to serve out the set. A couple of double faults put her in a hole, 0-30, and a forehand error cost her the serve. Youel served 3-5 down to stay in the set, but Gabbie kept the pressure on and converted her first set point at 6-3.

The second set proved difficult for Gabbie, at least partly because she was struggling a bit controlling her forehand, but also because of some nagging tightness in her lower back. She found herself down a break at 0-2 before she began to find a way back into the set. She held serve for 1-2 and then broke back for 2 all. Youel served at 2-3, but by now Gabbie had found her form again and she broke again for 3-3. Gabbie held for 4-3 and then began putting the pressure on and this resulted in a break of serve for a 5-3 lead with Gabbie to serve.

This game was another long one. At 15 all, after a superb long rally from the baseline, Gabbie lost the point for 15-30. But another long point and a sizzling backhand up the line winner got her to 30-30. Another backhand winner gave Gabbie her first match point. An errant backhand just wide brought the game back to deuce. Gabbie drilled another forehand winner up the line for her second match point, but again she missed with a backhand just wide. Finally, a forehand winner gave her match point three. A superb rally ended with both players at net. Gabbie raced to get her opponent’s short drop volley, scrapped it back into play and then put away the weak floating reply to take match point three and end the match, 6-3, 6-3.

Gabbie will play in the round of sixteen tomorrow at Rolling Meadows at 8:00 a.m., weather permitting. Anyone who wishes to come and watch the match should first check the IHSA website about weather updates because if the predicted rain shows up Gabbie’s match could be played indoors at any of several indoor sites.

Posted on October 23rd, 2008 by ghanck
Filed under: HS Girls Tennis